Story by
AlexandraWholesome Hinterland
Adventure in Tintenbar, North Coast, NSW
It’s common knowledge that Byron Bay is a melting pot of surf culture, alternative lifestyles, and hedonistic pursuits, but that’s not the only attraction to the Northern Rivers region. A 9-hour drive for most might sound daunting, but when your destination encompassing green rolling hills, fertile farmlands, a hand-built cottage and dense rainforests, our trip from Sydney’s northern beaches became the best decision we made! Offering a scenic and cultural contrast to Byron’s beach lifestyle, you’ll find there’s is a lot to discover in the World Heritage-listed rainforests, historic villages and green valleys of the Byron Bay Hinterland. Logging, cattle farming, dairy farming, bananas and also sugarcane have dominated the region, carving the hinterland into a series of small villages and hamlets connected by a meandering web of country roads, rolling hills, streams, rivers and abandoned railway tracks. In more recent times the region has also become known for its counter-culture, spawning many small organic and permaculture farms and multiple-occupancy properties.
The region is also Australia’s premier macadamia producer, has a flourishing coffee industry, and sports some remarkable retreats, day spas and restaurants for you to soak up the tranquillity. Driving the winding roads through the Tintenbar hills at golden hour, we arrived at Paddock Hall to see the cottage glowing before us. Settling in was smooth, we greeted the farm animals, started up the fireplace, opened a bottle then dined down the road at Harvest - an unforgettable experience. At the crack of dawn, we awoke and warmed up with some hot coffee, avocado on toast from the freshly baked sourdough from Harvest and a soak in the bubbly outdoor claw-foot bath (a definite stand out for us), with the friendly goat, Harper providing company! From there we set out for a day fuelled by adventure - hiking, swimming and feeding - we couldn't get enough so we made sure our stay was more than just one night!
Paddock Hall is a hand built bohemian cabin, consciously designed for recuperation and reconnection to nature. (Look at the gorgeous green of the subtropics even as we head deep into winter.) Situated on the owner’s property, ‘Yalburabah’, meaning ‘place of healing’ in the language of the indigenous Bundjalung people of the area. Yalburabah is a working macadamia farm and home, on a quiet rural road tucked away in the heart of Tintenbar....
The region is also Australia’s premier macadamia producer, has a flourishing coffee industry, and sports some remarkable retreats, day spas and restaurants for you to soak up the tranquillity. Driving the winding roads through the Tintenbar hills at golden hour, we arrived at Paddock Hall to see the cottage glowing before us. Settling in was smooth, we greeted the farm animals, started up the fireplace, opened a bottle then dined down the road at Harvest - an unforgettable experience. At the crack of dawn, we awoke and warmed up with some hot coffee, avocado on toast from the freshly baked sourdough from Harvest and a soak in the bubbly outdoor claw-foot bath (a definite stand out for us), with the friendly goat, Harper providing company! From there we set out for a day fuelled by adventure - hiking, swimming and feeding - we couldn't get enough so we made sure our stay was more than just one night!
Paddock Hall is a hand built bohemian cabin, consciously designed for recuperation and reconnection to nature. (Look at the gorgeous green of the subtropics even as we head deep into winter.) Situated on the owner’s property, ‘Yalburabah’, meaning ‘place of healing’ in the language of the indigenous Bundjalung people of the area. Yalburabah is a working macadamia farm and home, on a quiet rural road tucked away in the heart of Tintenbar....
Things We Did
- Sunrise
- Swim
- Farm
- Beach
- Food & Drink
Our Adventure Map
Where we stayed
Things we did
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